Sociology

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This subtopic explores the fundamental processes through which individuals learn and internalise the norms, values, and behaviours of their society, focusing on both primary and secondary agents. It critically examines how identity is formed and negotiated within diverse cultural contexts, equipping learners to analyse the interplay between social structures and personal agency. Practical applications include understanding social cohesion, cultural transmission, and the development of self in contemporary, rapidly changing societies.

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Introducing socialisation, culture and identity

This component introduces the core sociological themes of socialisation, culture and identity. It explores how individuals are shaped by their social environment, the role of various agencies in the socialisation process, the nature/nurture debate, and the mechanisms of social control. It also examines the construction of identity and the influence of various social characteristics.

What is culture?

This topic introduces the fundamental sociological concepts of culture, norms, and values. It explores the relative nature of culture, the various types of culture (subculture, high, popular, global, and consumer), and the concepts of cultural diversity and cultural hybridity.

What is socialisation?

This topic explores the process of socialisation, distinguishing between primary and secondary socialisation, identifying the key agencies involved, and examining the nature/nurture debate. It also covers the mechanisms of social control, both formal and informal, and introduces the concept of identity and how it is shaped by socialisation.

What is identity?

This topic explores the concept of identity, focusing on how identities are constructed and the influence of various agencies of socialisation. It examines specific aspects of identity and their associated cultural characteristics, as well as the nature of changing identities.

Families and relationships

This option focuses on the family as a central agency of socialisation and a main transmitter of culture in contemporary society, exploring contemporary family structures, relationships, and the theoretical debates surrounding them.

How diverse are modern families?

This topic explores the diversity of family and household types in the contemporary UK, examining trends in marriage, divorce, cohabitation, and demographic changes. It also covers the ideology of the nuclear family, theoretical perspectives on family roles, and debates regarding the extent of family diversity.

To what extent are roles and relationships within families and households changing?

This topic explores the changing nature of roles and relationships within families and households in the contemporary UK, focusing on power dynamics between partners and between parents and children, while applying functionalist, Marxist, and feminist theoretical perspectives.

Youth subcultures

This option focuses on youth as an important period in the socialisation process where individuals develop a sense of identity within peer groups. It explores the formation of youth subcultures, the role of deviant subcultures, and the influence of media on youth deviance.

How and why are youth culture and subcultures formed?

This topic explores youth as a distinct period in the socialisation process, focusing on how individuals develop identities within peer groups and the formation, participation, and theoretical explanations of youth subcultures.

Why do young people participate in deviant subcultures?

This topic explores why young people participate in deviant subcultures, examining theoretical explanations, patterns and trends in youth deviance, and the role of the media in shaping perceptions of youth deviance.

Media

This option focuses on the media as a key agent of socialisation in contemporary society, exploring how different social groups are represented and the theoretical debates surrounding media effects on audiences.

How are different social groups represented in the media?

This topic explores the role of the media as an agent of socialisation in contemporary society, focusing on how different social groups are represented and the theoretical perspectives used to interpret these representations.

What effect do the media have on audiences?

This topic explores the role of the media as an agent of socialisation in contemporary society, focusing on theoretical perspectives regarding media effects on audiences and the media's role in deviance amplification and moral panics.

Research methods and researching social inequalities

Component 02, Section A focuses on the methods of sociological enquiry, exploring the relationship between theory and methods, the stages of the research process, and the application of various research methods within the context of social inequalities.

What is the relationship between theory and methods?

This topic explores the relationship between sociological theory and research methods, focusing on the methodological divide between Positivism and Interpretivism, and the practical, ethical, and theoretical factors that influence the design and conduct of sociological research.

What are the main stages of the research process?

This topic covers the sequential stages involved in the sociological research process, including the formulation of research designs, data collection, and the application of sampling techniques and ethical considerations.

Which methods are used in sociological research?

This topic covers the range of research methods used in sociological enquiry, including quantitative and qualitative approaches, mixed methods, and the practical, ethical, and theoretical factors that influence the design and implementation of sociological research.

Understanding social inequalities

Component 02 Section B focuses on the study of social inequalities, requiring learners to develop knowledge and understanding of contemporary patterns and trends of social inequality and difference. It involves engaging in theoretical debate, exploring conceptual issues, and developing skills of analysis and evaluation of sociological research and evidence in relation to social class, gender, ethnicity, and age.

What are the main patterns and trends in social inequality and difference?

This topic focuses on the contemporary patterns and trends of social inequality and difference in the UK, examining how these inequalities impact life chances and exploring the main sociological explanations for these disparities.

How can patterns and trends in social inequality and difference be explained?

This topic explores the main sociological explanations for patterns and trends in social inequality and difference, specifically focusing on social class, gender, ethnicity, and age, through the lenses of functionalism, Marxism, Weberianism, feminism, and the New Right.

Globalisation and the digital social world

This topic explores the relationship between globalisation and digital forms of communication, examining how the digital revolution has created a networked global society. It covers the impact of these developments on identity, social inequalities, relationships, and culture, including concepts like the global village, media convergence, and cultural homogenisation.

What is the relationship between globalisation and digital forms of communication?

This topic explores the relationship between globalisation and digital forms of communication, examining the digital revolution, the emergence of a networked global society, and the theoretical interpretations of these changes. It also covers the impact of digital communication on identity, social inequalities, relationships, and culture, including concepts like cultural homogenisation and glocalisation.

What is the impact of digital forms of communication in a global context?

This topic explores the impact of digital forms of communication on identity, social inequalities, and relationships, as well as its influence on culture, including conflict, change, cultural homogenisation, and cultural defence/glocalisation.

Crime and deviance

This option focuses on debates in contemporary society through a detailed study of crime and deviance. It covers the social construction of crime and deviance, how crime is socially distributed, explained, and reduced, and introduces a global dimension to patterns and trends in crime.

How are crime and deviance defined and measured?

This topic explores the social construction of crime and deviance, the methods used to measure them, and the theoretical and policy-based approaches to understanding and reducing criminal behavior in a contemporary global context.

What are the patterns and trends in crime?

This topic explores the patterns and trends in crime, focusing on the social distribution of offending and victimisation across social class, gender, age, and ethnicity, as well as patterns of crime in a global context including global organised crime and green crime.

How can crime and deviance be explained?

This topic explores the theoretical explanations for crime and deviance, focusing on a range of sociological perspectives including functionalism, Marxism, neo-Marxism/radical criminology, interactionism, realism (left and right), New Right, subcultural theories, and feminism.

How can crime and deviance be reduced?

This topic explores social policy and strategies for reducing crime and deviance, categorized by political ideological approaches (left-wing and right-wing).

Education

This option focuses on debates in contemporary society through a detailed study of education. It explores the role of education in society, patterns of educational achievement, global educational inequalities, and the impact of government policies on the UK education system.

What is the role of education in society?

This topic explores the role of education in society, examining theoretical perspectives on its functions and its relationship with work, as well as patterns of educational achievement and the impact of government policies.

What are the patterns and trends of educational inequalities?

This topic explores the role of education in society and the patterns of educational achievement, focusing on both contemporary UK inequalities and global educational disparities, while examining various theoretical perspectives.

How can differential educational achievement be explained?

This topic explores the role of education in society and the patterns of educational achievement, focusing on differential achievement by social class, ethnicity, and gender, as well as global educational inequalities and the impact of UK government policies.

How has the UK education system changed?

This topic explores the role of education in society, patterns of educational achievement, and the impact of government policies on the UK education system, including global educational inequalities.

Religion, belief and faith

This option focuses on debates in contemporary society through a detailed study of religion, belief and faith. It explores the role of religion in an increasingly global society, examining patterns and trends of religiosity in the UK and globally, and evaluates different theoretical approaches to the study of religion, belief and faith.

How are religion, belief and faith defined and measured?

This topic explores the sociological definitions and measurement of religion, belief, and faith. It covers various religious institutions and movements, the complexities of measuring religiosity, and the theoretical debates surrounding the role of religion in society and its relationship to social change.

What is the role of religion, belief and faith?

This option explores the role of religion, belief and faith in contemporary society, focusing on definitions, measurement, theoretical perspectives, patterns of religiosity, secularisation, and the relationship between religion and social change in a global context.

What are the patterns and trends of religion, belief and faith?

This option focuses on debates in contemporary society through a detailed study of religion, belief and faith. It explores the role of religion in an increasingly global society, patterns and trends of religiosity in the UK and globally, and theoretical debates regarding secularisation.

Is secularisation occurring?

This topic explores the sociological debate regarding whether secularisation is occurring in contemporary society, focusing on changes in religious belief, practice, and the power and influence of religion, alongside theoretical perspectives on the decline or resurgence of religion.